Requiem of the Curse
by Marcomax
Summary: The Knights of Maven were once a well renowned guild. However internal politics and external pressure has caused the small group to fall from grace. To repair these internal schisms. Belladonna, Templar and Guild leader of the Knights of Maven has proposed the guild travel on a pilgrimage through Pilgrim's Way. But they soon begin to fall victim to Naktis' curse.
1. Prelude to the Pilgrimage

The Statue of the Goddess Zenyna was the most noticeable site in Fedimian. Day or night, the figure would be surrounded by devoted followers offering their prayers for salvation. However, there was another small group beginning to form in front of the statue. They consisted of a squire, a templar and a paladin

"Ms. Gaudin? Do you think the rest of the guild will come?" asked the young squire. With soft blue hair in a baby perm, he sat behind two other figures looking through their camping supplies. With a small frame, it was clear he was the youngest of the three.

"I'm sure they will be here soon. And I told you to call me Bella, Pelleas." the templar responded as she looked over the stairway up to the statue. Dressed in a traditional templar uniform, Bella looked out onto the horizon with her soft green eyes as her blond short cut hair waved in the wind. To her side was her family rapier passed down through the ages a Spada with a falcon crest on the guard. On her back, she wore her Cavalry Shield.

"Sure thing Ms. Gau … I mean Ms. Bella. What do you think Santos?" Pelleas asked the paladin kneeling in front of the goddess statue. After finishing his prayer, Santos stood up to rejoin the group. His black hair styled into a shadow perm that concealed his left eye. He had a tall, slender build that was almost completely hidden by his Paladin Master uniform.

"If the goddess wills it, they will surely be here." Santos said in a calm and relaxed manner. "Look, someone in coming right now."

"Really, who is it?" Bella said excitedly before finally spotting the man walking up the stairway. Dressed in a doppelsoeldner uniform, the man stomped up the stairs as if ready for a fight. His fiery red hair tied back into a short ponytail revealed a small scar on his right cheek. On his back was his Pensara Two-handed sword, chipped and warped by many a battle. "Oh. Hello Siegfried" The templar said as her enthusiasm deflated just a bit.

"Hey Belladonna, I see you wanna waste everyone's time with another one of your field trips." Siegfried said with a dismissive tone. "We could be assaulting the Earth Tower or the assisting the Saalus Convent."

Bella stood firm as the doppelsoeldner approached. "These "field trips" are important to building guild harmony. Besides, you know both of those places are beyond us right now." She said.

"Are you guys gonna start fighting now? Your arguments get really old really fast."

All four guild mates jumped as the voice rang out in the plaza. "Artemis! Where are you hiding?" Siegfried called out. From a barrel behind Palleas popped out a musketeer with brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail, much to the squire's surprise. A bored expression covered Artemis' face as she slipped out of the barrel.

"Artemis! I didn't know if you would come or not. But I'm glad you're here." Bella said as her face lit up with excitement.

"Sure, whatever." Artemis said as she stood beside the shocked squire and tinkered with her weapon.

Siegfried also approached the squire and ruffled his hair. "How ya doing Palleas? Are you still practicing the Crosscut I showed you?" He said with a big grin.

Fixing his hair, Palleas gave the doppelsoeldner a smile in return. "Yes sir! I've been trying to practice it night and day." He said.

Glad to see more of her comrades arriving, Bella waited patiently atop the staircase for the rest of the group. The next three to arrive were a monk, an oracle and a wugushi.

"Arty!" the wugushi yells as she ran right pass Bella. Her green long wave twin tails smacked the templar in the face as she ran by. Arms out, she wrapped Artemis into a big hug. "It feels like it's been forever since we've seen each other."

"We just had a mission together last week Scarlett" Artemis replied, obviously uncomfortable with this kind of affection.

"Scarlett, it's good to see you again." Bella said to Scarlett as she reached out to shake the wugushi's hand.

"Bella! I can't believe this is going to be your last action as Guild Leader." Scarlett quipped as she rubbed her cheeks against Artemis'.

A little taken aback, Bella retracts her hand. "Where did you hear that? I'm not quitting as Guild Leader."

"Lighten up Bella, it was just a joke. " Scarlett said as Artemis tried to peel her off.

Before she could reply, the oracle arrived atop the stairs riding on the back of the monk.

"Are we there yet Kiki?" The oracle asked the monk as the two reached the top of the stairs. Her face was covered by her long white braided hair.

"NO! Stop asking Delphi." Kiki yelled as she stopped right in front of Bella. Her black hair pulled back into a double bun to show her full face and bright blown eyes. "Oh. We are here. Hi Bella, I hope we're not late" She said waving to the temple

"Delphi! Kiki! No you're just in time. Quick question though, why are you carrying Delphi, Kiki?" Bella asked the two.

Delphi let out a yawn letting Kiki answer. "Well it just worked out that way. Delphi didn't want to walk all the way up here and I needed a bit of a workout. Need to be in top shape when we're out there busting heads." Kiki said excitedly.

"That's great but this is going to be a more peaceful outing." Bella responded. A bit let down, Kiki grabbed a seat beside Pelleas as she laid Delphi down on a pile of blankets. Adjusting her uniform, Bella waited for the last two members of the guild to arrive. She didn't have to wait long though as a female alchemist strolled up the stairway followed by a male sorcerer.

"Yoho Bella! I hope we're not late either." The alchemist said as she gave the templar a light hug and a dainty kiss on the cheek. Her black long-wave perm highlighted her sharp green eyes and thin face. Wearing a silver framed monocle over her right eye and a recreation of the Wizard master uniform, she was the very definition of style. "Come along Andris, you shouldn't doddle so much".

"Catherine! I'm glad you're here." Bella said reciprocating Catherine's affectionate greeting. "Andris, it's good to see you too." Bella added as she turned to the sorcerer. He seemed to be labouring behind Catherine quite a bit. His brown hair fashioned into asymmetrical short cut that covered the right side of his face. But it did nothing to hide his tired blue eyes and sickly face. It was easy to see though that he and Pelleas were about the same age. Worst yet, he seemed to be carry a giant sack filled with an assortment of goods.

"Y-yes Lady Catherine. It's good to see you too Lady Belladonna" Andris said as he crawled up the stairs. Not content to watch the young man suffer, Siegfried walked up to the sorcerer and grabbed the have sac of goods.

"What? Are you trying to crush the boy Catherine?" He said as he threw it over his shoulder.

Catherine merely gave him a laugh. "This is all part of his training Siegfried. I'm going to mold him into a proper wizard, right Andris?"

"Of course" Andris said as he continued to follow behind Catherine closely.

With the entire guild here, Belladonna jumped onto one of the stone slabs and used it as a makeshift stand. Clearing her throat, she tried to get everyone's attention before giving the speech she prepared.

"Ahem… A year ago, Siegfried, Santos, Artemis and Catherine and I traveled to the Sanctuary and fought the Demon Lord Naktis. The battle was long and tenuous but we were able to defeat her and reclaim a part of the Great Cathedral. To honour Mavis' teaching, we created the Knights of Mavis. A guide in remembrance of his lessons" Bella says with a hint of pride.

"However, the guild has fallen on hard times. Our attempts to battle the Dullahan and Starving Ellaganos went poorly. Our guild wars with the Order of Orme and the Bloody Kepas have drained the guild's resource. People have come and gone but the Knights of Mavis are still here! And it's time we return to our roots. That's why we've gathered here today"

Santos then stepped forward and turned to the group. "Even after word of Naktis' defeat spread, people still fear her curse and have all but abandoned this vital spiritual journey. It falls on us to help restore faith in Maven's teachings and the Goddesses" He said.

Bella then drew her rapier and pointing it to the sky. "We, the Knights of Maven will travel Pilgrim's Way. We will make the pilgrimage from Starving Demon's Way all the way to Apsimesti Crossroad on foot. Santos originally proposed the idea and I couldn't agree more. I believe after this pilgrimage, the Knights of Maven will come back stronger than ever!" She yelled.

Santos and Pelleas gave their templar a hearty round of applause. Kiki, Catherine and Andris joined in too eventually. Artemis and Delphi only seemed to be paying half attention and Scarlett was busy tampering with her poison pots.

Siegfried stepped forward obviously annoyed. "A Pilgrimage is a pretty grand undertaking. It's strange that you didn't talk it over with your Vice-Commander." He said.

Bella stepped off her stand to answer him. "I tried to ask you about it, multiple times. But you said you had better things to do. Believe it or not, hashing out details is the Vice-Commander's job as well" Bella said. Siegfried backed down as the Bella turned to her squire. "Is everything ready Pelleas?" She asked

"All set Ms. Bella" Pelleas said as he tied up the rest if their camping supplies. With the meeting over, everyone grabbed their backpacks and made their way to Starving Demon's Way with Bella and Santos taking point.

Just as the group was leaving, Siegfried leaned over and whispered into Artemis' ear. "How did your investigation turn out?" He asked. Artemis didn't respond and merely nodded as she handed the Doppelsoeldner a few slips of paper and continued on. Giving them a quick glace and stashed them away in his side pouch. The two then made their way to Starving Demon's Way with the rest of the guild.


	2. Feeding Frenzy

"Starving Demon's Way represents the sin of gluttony. When one succumbs to gluttony, they inevitably starve the soul. A glutton will take from the needy and will eat and drink without concern for those around them. Thus Maven spoke of throwing away your obsession for food and starting your pilgrimage with reverence" Santos said as he closed his scripture. "Thus as we travel Starving Demon's Way, the guild will abstain from eating meat."

An audible groan left Kiki's mouth when she heard this. "Really? How are supposed to survive without meat?" She asked before getting a reply from Catherine.

"You could always try expanding your pallet and eat a few vegetables" The alchemist said barely holding back her laughter.

Looking to avoid an argument, Bella stepped forward and addressed the guild. "As we travel to Pilgrim Path, we're also going to make stops on Aebsova Field and the Field of Reeds. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am!" Everyone responded.

* * *

As the group traveled north, Siegfried walked up to the front besides Bella. "So we're going to pay Liliya a visit?" He asked.

A pang of guilt struck her heart. "Yes. I can't believe it's almost been a year since she died. I keep thinking back to that battle thinking there might have been a way to save her. If only I …I" Bella replied.

She then let out a yip as Siegfried gave her a slap on the back. "Keep your head up Belladonna. After she turned into a demon, there was nothing you could do for her. The best thing we could do was give her a proper burial" He said in a reassuring tone.

"Thanks Siegfried, I needed that. I knew made you my Vice Commander for a reason" Bella said as she continued to lead the group. "Still, why aren't you wearing your templar uniform? You've already gone through the training."

The doppelsoeldner scratched the back of his head. "I can't stand that get-up, especially the cape. Besides it would be confusing if people saw two templars leading a guild." He said.

"Too bad, I think it would look good on you" Bella said giving her Second-in-Command a small laugh.

A few paces behind them, Pelleas marched along between Santos and Artemis. "I can never get a read on the kind of relationship those two have." Pelleas said looking at the two guild leaders.

"The two of them have a long history together." Artemis said to the young squire. "From what I've heard from Siegfried, they meet when they were kids and trained together with the Swordsmen Master. But they decided to train with different masters afterwards. Siegfried became a mercenary for a while and that's where I meet him."

Santos tapped Pelleas on the shoulder and added his piece. "I met Bella while she was training with the Royal Army. It was here on Starving Demon Way where we all meet Catherine and each other. At first everything seemed fine but the two couldn't stop butting heads. After the guild formed, they kept on organizing separate operations. Bella wanted to focus on restoring the Kingdom while Siegfried wanted to hunt demons."

"Which is fine by me" Artemis said with a hint of anger. "There won't be peace until all those monsters are dead."

"While I agree, there are other problems facing this land. The destruction due to the Divine Tree, the corruption of nature and declining faith in the goddesses are also major concerns." Santos said.

In an instance, the musketeer pushed aside Pelleas and grabbed the paladin by his collar only to let go. "You don't understand the true horror of these demons." Artemis said as fell back and walked with Scarlett.

The group soon reached Liliya's grave and were greeted by two familiar faces. Both offering a prayer to the fallen pilgrim

"Julius, Zenius. I didn't know you would be here." Bella said as she walked towards the two men.

"It's good to see you Bella" Julius, the younger of the two men answered. "We come here often to pray for Liliya hoping her soul has found its way to the Goddess Aušrinė."

Placing a set of flowers, Zenius approached the group. "We're also hoping to turn the abandoned camp to the south into a small village. With Naktis' curse lifted, we might be able to live our lives in peace."

"If possible, could we rest at your camp? The sun is starting to set and the company is always welcome." Bella asked the two.

Without hesitation, the two former pilgrims agreed. Once Santos kneeled to lead a prayer for Liliya's soul, they made their way south to the camp.

* * *

The sun set as Pelleas, Andris and Artemis set up their base camp for the night. A large metal pot hung over the fire filled with Pelleas' special vegetable stew. The guild including Julius and Zenius sat around the fire sharing bread loafs. Kiki seemed to take a few extra and handed them to Delphi. An awkward silence fell over the group unsure what to say. The last time they were all together like this was the war against the Bloody Kepas three months ago. Looking to break the silence, Catherine clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention.

"Oh I have an idea. Delphi, why don't you give us one of your special fortunes? Knowing some of the dangers we may have to face would be very helpful." She said adjusting her monocle.

Nibbling on a piece of bread, Delphi reached into her bag to pull out a set of incense and a clear crystal. "Let me see what the stars show me" Delphi says meekly. Lighting the incense using the bonfire, the oracle begins to meditate. A low humming left her lips followed by soft chanting.

"The stars! They show me …" She says. The group leans in waiting for her prediction. Suddenly, she fell backwards and let out a sigh. "Argh! I'm hungry! I can't make a prediction like this" Delphi cried.

With the base camp up, Pelleas came to check on the stew. "Dinner's ready everyone!" He said as he started to serve out the food. Once everyone had a bowl, Santos led them in grace. That didn't stop some of them from sneaking a bite or two. Once grace was said, the guild was able to enjoy the squire's meal.

"Another fine meal Pelleas" Bella said as she praised her squire.

"Indeed" added Catherine. "I have Andris cook for me sometimes. But his technique leaves something to be desired" she said as a look of embarrassment crossed the sorcerer's face.

To everyone's surprise, Kiki and Delphi practically inhaled their food. They consumed one bowl, then another and then another. "If you two keep eating like that, you're both going to explode" Scarlett said as she just finished her first bowl of stew.

Kiki and Delphi didn't seem to care. They finished their fifth serving each and put out their bowl for more. "Well since we're not having meat; we have to eat twice as much. More please?" Kiki said as she held out her bowl.

"I don't think that's how that works. Plus you two have already finished the stew." Pelleas said showing them the empty pot.

Hearing your conversation, Julius chimes in. "If you guys are looking for meat. We have some stockpiled in a hut around the Field of Reeds." He said as Kiki's ears perk up.

Bella simply shakes her head no. "Thank you but that won't be necessary, we're abstaining from eating meat as we travel through Starving Demon's Way." She said as she finished her dinner. Zenius seemed genuinely pleased to hear this.

"It's good to hear that there are still people will to attempt this pilgrimage again." He said

"Thank you, we still have quite a ways to go so I'm going to sleep early tonight" Bella said with a yawn before retiring to her tent. One by one her guild mates followed suit.

* * *

As the group slept, Siegfried heard a noise at the edge of the camp. When he opened his eyes, he saw Kiki and Delphi sneaking off. "Where are those two going?" He whispered to himself. Getting up Siegfried followed the two until he eventually reached a small shack nestled within the Field of Reeds. Peeking into the shack, the doppelsoeldner saw his two companions just eating everything in sight. Meat, vegetables, grains, Kiki and Delphi just kept shoving food into their face. They kept eating and eating for minutes on end.

"What the hell are you two doing!?" Siegfried yelled as he ran into the room. However the two just kept eating. Frustrated, Siegfried grabbed Kiki and Delphi and pulled them away from the storehouse. "This food belongs to Julius and Zenius you idiots!"

The two of them just kept struggling to escape Siegfried's grasp. "Let go of me Siegfried! I'm hungry!" Kiki said as she started punching Siegfried in the gut. Letting out a gasp, he let go of Kiki who immediately ran back to the storehouse. "Kiki! Make sure to leave some food for me!" Delphi yelled back at the monk.

Soon a scream rang out from the shack. From the entrance stumbled Kiki as she continued to shove more food down her throat. As she did, a black miasma began to ooze from her body. "It's not enough, I'm still …. Still hungry!" Kiki yelled as her body was engulfed by black smoke.

"No! Not again" Siegfried gasped in disbelief. When the smoke cleared, what they saw wasn't the monk but a monster. Snarling at them was a large bear with intimidating sabretooth fangs. Red crystals poked out of the creatures' back as its yellow eyes stared down Siegfried. Letting out a powerful roar, the Glutton pounces at the pair. Barely able to dodge, Siegfried pushed Delphi away and blocked the attack with his sword.

"Ki-Kiki?" Delphi said stunned on the ground.

"Delphi! I need you to snap out of it" the doppelsoeldner yelled as he dodged out of the way of the Glutton.

"R-right" She said as she got up from the ground. Getting up from the ground, Delphi held out her Epos rod and cleared her mind.

"Forcast!" Delphi shouted as the beast was engulfed in a bright light. Just as the Glutton raised its claw to strike Siegfried, the Vice-Commander could see the attack in advance. Along with that he could see an opening. As the monster brought it's claw down, Siegfried sidestepped the attack and raised his sword into the air.

"Helm Chopper!" With a yell he brought his sword down onto the head of the Glutton. Stunned and bleeding the beast lets out a whimper. But that doesn't stop Siegfried as he raises his blade. _I can't hesitate. I'm sorry this is all I can do for you Kiki._ He thought to himself as he brought his blade down.

"Pun-"

"Attaque Au Fer!"

In an instance, the tip of a rapier hit Siegfried's handle. His sword was sent flying as he turned to see Bella standing there.

"Belladonna? What the hell are you doing? Do you even know what's going on?" Siegfried yelled in anger.

"I suspected something was wrong during dinner. Seeing the shack, the food and the Glutton, it's not hard to put the situation together. This is Kiki isn't it?" Bella said as she walked towards the monster.

"Yes it is." Siegfried said "And you know what we have to do!"

Bella didn't listen as she walked up to the stunned Glutton and started to pat its head. "Kiki? Can you hear me? It's Bella. All your friends are here. Please come back to us." She said softly. The Glutton twitched a bit which put Siegfried on edge.

"We got lucky that time with Julius. What makes you think talking will work this time?" Siegfried said. Running to get his sword he was met by Santos and Catherine.

"Perhaps we can be of assistance" Santos said as the two surrounded the monster. "Are you ready Catherine?"

"I am if you" The alchemist said. Raising their hands, a magic circle formed as the two began to chant. All the while Bella continued to comfort the monster

"Conversion!" The two shouted as the night was lit by a blinding light. When the light subdued, the group could see Bella holding on to Kiki. She was unconcise but alive. Siegfried stood their stunned as he watched Bella carried the monk back to camp.

* * *

When the group returned, Bella and Siegfried explained the situation to the rest of the guild. In one of the tents, Kiki slept as Julius looked over her.

"Did Kiki really turn into a Glutton? I thought you guys already dealt with Naktis?" Scarlett asked as everyone huddled around the campfire.

"We thought so too. But this is definitely her curse. And if it's happening, who's to say her curse hasn't returned to the rest of Pilgrim's Way?" Bella said.

"So the only thing to do is the call off the pilgrimage right?" Siegfried suggested to the templar. "I have a bad feeling in my gut about this."

"No" Bella said in an instant. "If Naktis's Curse has returned, then we need to find out why. If we don't then the demons with always control Pilgrim's Way. This pilgrimage was partially to restore some sense of respect to Maven's teachings and this is part of that mission. I've asked Julius & Zenius to look after Kiki. Tomorrow the rest of us will leave for Pilgrim's Way!"

With no other objections, the group seemed to return to their tents and catch what little sleep they could.

* * *

Just behind the ruined shack stood a strange Tree Root Crystal with a glowing black orb. Taking her staff, Catherine broke the crystal and released the dark energy into the air. Bending down she picked up parts of the broken crystal and put them in a bag with a magic circle on it.

"One down"


	3. Lazy Spirit

"Pilgrim's Path confronts us with the sin of sloth." Santos said as the group continued down Nederlingas Highway. "To live is to struggle. We struggle for salvation. We struggle against evil. It is hard and grueling but it gives life meaning. To give in to sloth is to choose a life of ease and idleness. The slothful man or woman rejects salvation and let's evil run rampant over the land. So as Archbishop Maven instructed, we mustn't be indolent over our long journey".

The group was quiet after Santos' sermon. Delphi was still reeling from Kiki's transformation and departure. Bella and Siegfried were arguing over which direction to go. The rest of the group were busy with their own tasks. The paladin did receive a bit of praise but from an unexpected source.

"Another wonderful sermon Santos. You really do have a way with words" Catherine said as she walked beside him.

"That's odd coming from you Catherine" Santos replied. "I was under the impression you thought my sermons were boring."

Catherine shook her head. "Oh no, I'm impressed by your command of the common tongue. You seem to be a man of many talents." A wry smile crossed her face. "For example, you seem to be quite adept at manipulating mana. Most paladins I've meet are brutes that are only good at swinging a hammer. You're different though. I could feel it when we performed that Conversion spell together."

The paladin cleared his throat before answering. "Most of my family were wizards. When I was young, I was planning on following in their footsteps. But, I found my calling serving the goddesses. That's all there is to it." Santos says as he speeds up trying to put some distance between him and the alchemist.

"Oh I doubt that" Catherine whispered to herself.

After a long trek, the group finally reached Nomads Camp. Once Pelleas set up a refreshment table, the guild gathered around to eat lunch. On today's menu was a simple butternut squash soup. As they ate, Scarlett kept a close eye on Delphi.

"You're not going to finish the soup before we get a chance to have seconds are you?" The wugushi said in a taunting manner.

Delphi put down her empty bowl. "Once we left Starving Demon's Way, my appetite seemed to return to normal." She replied "I'll attempt another divination soon once everyone has finished eating."

At the head of the table, Bella and Siegfried seemed to be engaged in another spirited discussion.

"All I'm saying is that the nuns at the convent may have some answers" Siegfried said as he sat facing Bella.

"A detour to the Saalus Convent would take too much time. Besides how do I know you just don't want to abandon this pilgrimage?" Bella responded.

"Like hell I would! Not after what happened to Kiki. If it's Naktis or some other demon, we've got to stop them. You're just being too stubborn about this pilgrimage. A detour will be fine" he said.

"If we want to restore a sense of meaning to Maven's teachings, we have to follow them to the letter. That includes no detours along Pilgrim's Path" Bella said as she finished her soup. Just as she stood up, a wave of exhaustion rushed over Bella. Wobbling just a bit, the Templar managed to keep her footing.

 _What was that?_ Bella thought as she tried to clear her head. "Did any of you feel that?" she said as she looked over the table. The group were completely idle. Most of them sat hunched over the table as if preparing to fall asleep.

"Feel what?" Siegfried said as he let out a yawn. "Anyway about the detour to the convent, you can do whatever you want."

Pelleas seemed to try and stand up but just stretched his arms before lying on the ground. "Can someone else pack away the table?" He said softly.

Even Delphi was starting to drift of as her crystal's and incenses fell from her hand. "I can try and make a divination another time." She said.

Artemis was the only one who managed to stand up using her musket for support. "There is no way I'm going to succumb to the will of some demon!" She said defiantly. In an act of desperation, Artemis bit into her bottom of her lip until she drew blood. The pain allowed the musketeer to finally brake through the curse.

"Alright, now we just need to figure out what's causing this?" Bella said to herself.

"I may have some ideas." Turning around, Artemis and Bella saw Andris standing there as if nothing was happening.

"How are you still standing after all this?" Artemis asked as blood still slipped from her mouth.

Andris collected his supplies as he answered the musketeer. "As a sorcerer, I've grown pretty resistant to the type of curses most demons use. Anyway, Lady Catherine said that the curses may be related to a corrupted Tree Root crystal. That's what happened before, right Lady Belladonna?" The sorcerer asked the templar.

"You're right, the last time we were here a corrupted Tree Root crystals were draining our life force. So if we find the Tree Root causing this everyone should return to normal." Bella said.

"Right and I have a good idea of where it might be. Meet me at Noras Fountain. I just need to get a few more things." Andris said. With haste, Artemis and Bella began to make their way south to the fountain.

As the two run to Noras Fountain, Artemis turned to Bella. "Are you sure we can trust that boy?" She asked the templar. "When he's not with Catherine, Andris spends most of his time summoning those monsters. Who's to say that he doesn't have a hand in this curse?"

Bella just continued to look forward. "He is a sorcerer. It would be concerning if he didn't know how to summon." She pauses hoping for some response from the musketeer but got not even a smirk. So she continued. "I've only known Andris for a short time. But Catherine seems to trust him enough to take him as her apprentice. That's enough for me."

"Catherine is a whole other problem." Artemis said. But before she could finish the though, the two arrived at the fountain. In the middle of the pond, the two guild mates saw the large corrupted tree root crystal. The large black jewel in the centre pulsed with a foul energy. Before Bella could run in to destroy it, Artemis grabbed her shoulder.

"Look" Artemis whispered as she pointed behind the pond. At first it looked like a regular tree. But as Bella watched it, she could see the outline of a face that began to twitch a bit. "That Wood Spirit must be guarding the crystal."

Just as the two started to plan their next move, Andris arrived with a strange book in tow. "Did you find the crystal?" the sorcerers asked.

"Yes but we have a problem" Bella said as she pointed to the Wood Spirit. "Do you think you can conjure up something that can give us a hand Andris?" She asked.

Taking a moment to think the sorcerer pulled out a set of cards. From the deck he pulls one out and places the rest into his bag. "I might have something that could do the trick. When you attack the Tree Root, I'll summon a devil to distract the Wood Spirit." Andris said. With a simple nod, Bela and Artemis both agreed to the plan and moved to surround monster.

Once in position, Bella raised her hand for her two companions to see. The Templar pointed to Artemis first signalling her to attack the Corrupted Tree Root. Kneeling, the musketeer raised her musket and took aim. With a resounding bang, she fired upon the crystal and managed to crack its. In an instance, the Wood Spirit began to move, letting out a powerful wail.

Once the wood spirit begins to move, Bella draws the creature's attention by banged her rapier against her shield. Turning towards the guild leader, the Wood Spirit began to march towards her. Raising her shield, Bella took a high guard stance and prepared to block the monster. "Andris, now!" Bella yelled.

Sure enough, Andris opened his Grimoire and placed the card into the book. As the grimoire floated in mid-air a magic circle formed under the sorcerer. "Come forth and obey! I call upon thee, Temple Shooter!" Andris cried. From the magic circle rose the shadowy visage of a Temple Shooter. It's face hidden in darkness but the crossbow and stone cross on its back were still visible. "Get Back Ms. Bella!" Andris shouted to the temple. Bella complied. Once she had retreated, Andris simply pointed to the Wood Spirit. "Attack"

Without so much of a sound, the shadowy Temple Shooter unleashed a cone of flame from its crossbow. Unable to respond, the Wood Spirit let out a deafening cry as it was engulfed in fire. Once he finished attacking the Temple shooter disappeared as quickly as it arrived. But it had done its job. The Wood Spirit's leaves burned away as its bark began to peel.

Artemis began to shoot at the monster as she chipped away at its body. Andris followed suit by summoning a fire pillar to drown the Wood Spirit in even more flames. With the monster in a weakened state, Bella moved in for the killing blow.

"Sept Etoiles!" She shouted as she stabbed away at whatever remained of the Wood Spirit. Under their unending assault, the monster was reduced to nothing but splinters and ash.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Bella turned to the sorcerer. "That was amazing Andris. Your training with Catherine is really paying off." Bella said with a smile.

Andris blushed but Artemis wasn't prepared to give the young man a similar compliment. "Don't forget why we're here" She said as she walked up to the corrupted Tree Root Crystal. With a few more shots, the crystal broke releasing a black cloud. The shattered pieces fell into the fountain and began to dissolve.

"We should hurry back and check if the rest of the guild is okay" Bella said.

"I'll be there soon. I'm just going to see if I can find any clues about the curse." Andris said as he stayed back. Once the two were out of sight, he approached the fountain. Bending down, Andris picked up a piece of the broken tree root crystal and put it in an enchanted pouch.

When Andris returned, he saw the rest of his guild released from Naktis' curse. Though looking at the group, it seemed no one was celebrating. Andris moved towards the group and stood beside Catherine.

"Andris? Were you able to find anything?" Bella asked as she finally noticed the sorcerer. Andris merely shook his head no. A concerned look swept across Bella's face. "We need to figure out what's going on." She said.

Siegfried looked just as concerned as he rubbed his forehead. "I still say the Saalus Convent may have some answers. But I'm worried about the curse on Altar Way." He said.

"Why don't you let me go to the convent?" The guild turns to Delphi as she steps forward. "These curses have been affecting my predictions. But Saalus Convent is holy ground so I might be able to get a clear reading."

Bella and Siegfried look at each other and seem to come to an agreement. "That could work. But I can't just send you on your own." Bella said to the oracle.

"I wouldn't mind getting a break from this mess." Scarlett said as she grabbed her bag. "Come on Delphi, the sooner we get to the convent the better."

Bella seemed happy to have a volunteer. "Okay then. If you learn anything, get back to us as soon as possible."

Delphi gave Bella a gentle nod. "I should be able to see something within a day or so. Until then, safe travels." She said.

"And to you as well Delphi, Scarlett" Bella replied. And with that, the two groups went their separate ways for now.


End file.
